Key connection.



C. H. JENKINS.

KEY CONNECTION. APPLICATION men JULY 18. m4.

1,182,91 1. Patented Maylfi, 1916.

THE COLUMLHA PLANOGRAVH c0., WASHINGTON. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. JENKINS, 0F BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NEWMAN CLOCK COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

KEY CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented BIay 16, 1916.

Original application filed December 18, 1911, Serial No. 666,317. Divided and this application filed July 18, 1914. Serial No. 851,715.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. JENKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belleville, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key Connections, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention which forms the subject of this application relates to an improvement in keys, particularly those designed for use by watchmen, and more specifically to novel means whereby the key may be retained in place by a chain or other securing means.

It has been customary heretofore to secure keys at stations where watchmen are obliged to make registrations during their rounds and this has been done by securing keys in the stations by a chain or other means. Where such means has been used, it has been found that the chain will become twisted and consequently easily broken. Additionally, when the chain has twists therein it is very difficult to get the key to the desired position for use, because of such twists. I overcome these objections by connecting the key and securing means by a novel swivel arrangement.

The subject matterof this application was disclosed in my pending application for patent Serial No. 666,317, filed December 18, 1911, for key for watchmans register, and was canceled therefrom in accordance with 16. uirement for division made by the Patent Referring now to the drawings forming part hereof and wherein like reference numerals refer to the same part in all the views: Figure 1 shows a full sized key with my improvements embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line aa of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the method of attaching the chain, and Fig. 4 is a modified form of connection.

The key 1 has its shank somewhat enlarged at 2 and is provided with a central cylindri cal opening 3 therein, which flares out at its upper end to a rather broad funnel shape as indicated at 5, the metal of the key being preferably correspondingly flared on its outer side to produce a funnel shaped flange or head 6. Intermediate the ends of the cylindrical opening 3 and at right angles thereto and t the axis of the key is acylindrical opening 7 adapted to receive aspherical shell 8 having perforations 9 and to register with the opening 3. Within the spherical ball 8 is placed a lead plug 10, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, having the perforation 11. The opening 3 in the enlarged end of the key and the openings in the shell and plug are adapted to register and to receive therethrough a fox-tail chain 12. After the chain has been inserted as aforesaid, the lead plug 10 is pressed inwardly, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, by means of pliers, or by any other suitable tool to fill the spherical shell and secure the chain therein. It will therefore be seen that the fox tail chain 12, where it issues from the spherical shell, serves as a shaft or trunnion to maintain said shell in proper position, it being understood that the external diameter of the chain. is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the cylinder perforation 3. Upon the outer end of the key I provide wings 13, adapted to facilitate the handling of the key when it is used in making registrations.

From the above description it will be seen that the chain is in reality swiveled to the key and any tendency for the chain to become twisted will be obviated by this form of connection.

While it is obvious that any form of chain may be used, I prefer, however, to use what is called the fox tail chain, which is one that is composed of short and fine links packed closely together so that the chain has the appearance and the qualities of rope or other very close fabric. The closeness of the links prevents twisting of the chain to any considerable extent, and also makes sharp bends in it practically impossible.

In Fig. 4 I show a modified construction. Here the lead has been entirely omitted and the shell itself is stamped by means of pliers or other suitable means directly upon the chain. On account of its simplicity and the ease with which the shell is secured to the chain this construction is very important.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the precise construction illustrated and described, but is capable of embodiment in other structures all coming within the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a key for a watchmans clock comprising an enlarged end having a central longitudinal opening theretherein by said ball.

The combination of a key for a watchmans clock, comprising an enlarged end having a central longitudinal opening therein and a cylindrical opening at right angles to said longitudinal opening, a chain for said key passing through said longitudinal opening and means located in said transverse opening swiveling the chain to the key.

3. The combination for a watchmans clock comprising an end having a central longitudinal opening therein, and a cylindrical opening therein transverse to the axis thereof, a spherical ball in said transverse opening, and a. key chain passing through said longitudinal opening and ball, and adapted to be fixed to the latter.

l. The combination of a key for a watchmans clock, comprising an end having a central longitudinal opening therein, the outer end or" which flares outwardly and terminates in a flange or head, a cylindrical opening at right angles to and intersecting the longitudinal opening, a chain for said key in said longitudinal opening adapted to rotate therein and passing across the transverse opening, and means located in said transverse opening engaging with the chain,-

to rotate therewith and to secure the said chain in place.

5. A key for a Watchmans clock comprising an end having a transverse opening therein, and a central longitudinal opening extending from said transverse opening slightly toward the ward of the key and alsoextending outwardly through the shank of the key, the shank and ward portions of said longitudinal opening constituting bearings, a chain rotatably mounted in said hearing portions, and swiveling means Withr in said transverse opening stamped upon said chain.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES H. JENKINS. lVitnesses:

MAY GRATZ, JOHN E. NILAND.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente, Washington, D. G. 

